With one out in the fourth, Lugo singled, stole second and scored on Youkilis's second double of the game (and third hit). Youkilis scored the Sox's first run in the first on Ortiz's ground out. ... Lowell homered in each of the three Skydome games.

Halladay was seriously pwned (5-11-8-7-0-2, 86). His last two starts: 10.1 innings, 23 hits, 17 runs (16 earned). Since last Saturday, his ERA has ballooned from 2.28 to 4.37. (The Jays got even worse news before the game began -- B.J. Ryan had Tommy John surgery today and will be out until sometime next season.)

In the first, Wakefield retired Rios, then allowed singles to Lind and Wells, and walked Glaus. Bases loaded, one out. But he whiffed Thomas and Mirabelli picked Glaus off first to end the inning.

Wakefield retired the next 15 Jays hitters and 18 of the next 19. His 1.79 ERA leads the American League.

Boston (23-10) has a seven-game lead over the second-place Yankees (16-17, 14-2 losers this afternoon) in the East. ... And it's home to face the Orioles.

In Wakefield's last 11 starts -- going back to July 17 -- the Red Sox have scored 16 runs while he's been in the game. This must stop.

Halladay allowed nine runs on 12 hits in 5.1 last Saturday in Texas. In 15.1 innings against Boston this year, he has allowed five runs (2.93).

The best hitter of all time (well, since 1977) against the Blue Jays? Mike Lowell. Among Toronto opponents with more than 100 at-bats, he is hitting .380 (49-for-129), with 17 doubles, nine home runs and 30 RBI in 34 games.

Boston has won 15 of its last 20 games. Toronto has lost eight straight.

Tala is sick, so we're not going to the game tonight. Which means only one thing ... BuffyVision.

And now I'm worried. I knew the Sox would be good. But are they really this good?

I think it's just that the Blue Jays are that bad, at least at this point in time. Besides, with three of our four best pitchers (man, that feels good to say!) going, we should win 2/3 if not sweep.

But yeah, every once in a while I can't help but feel a little paranoid. I thought that sense of expecting a crushing loss around every corner would go away after 2004, but I guess it's a case of once bitten, twice shy. Or in the Sox's case, 20 times bitten, eternally shy?

I'm so confident right now, and I would be with this team, even if the record wasn't this good. Sure, I sometimes see something bad and say "Here we go...", or I'll get mad at the team from time to time, but my whole life I've always felt like the Red Sox could win. 2004 didn't show me that it actually can pay off ONCE, it proved to me what I always thought, that there's ALWAYS a chance.

My point is, they could be doing a lot worse and I'd still have faith they could go all the way, but with the way things ARE going, the LAST thing I'd think would be "Oh no, something bad's about to happen..." Who am I, George Costanza?

You might as well enjoy good times. Especially baseball-wise. There's plenty of other stuff to be depressed about.

You might as well enjoy good times. Especially baseball-wise. There's plenty of other stuff to be depressed about.

Word.

These times are great. Don't be afraid to enjoy them.

Some people believe if they constantly remind themselves that good times don't last, it will hurt less when the good times end. But it doesn't work that way. When the bad times come around, it will hurt just as much, but you'll have missed out on the fun.

Live in the here and now. The future doesn't even exist yet. The present is all we have. Enjoy it!